Display of a plurality of files from multiple devices

Abstract

In a synchronization system that synchronizes files from multiple computing devices, the present invention provides a method for (1) displaying files from multiple computing devices in a multi-view user interface and (2) enabling content and file operations to be performed on such files through the user interface. The multi-view interface includes a file-system view and one or more media-specific views. In the file-system view files are organized in the same way in which they are organized on the devices on which they are stored. In the file-system view, users can perform file operations on files. In the media-specific view files are organized by media category. In one embodiment of the media-specific view, files are organized by metadata that relates to the files content. In the media-specific view, users can perform content operations on the files.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A computer-implemented method comprising:
 providing, via a client application on a first client device, a graphical user interface comprising a first content item and a second content item that are stored on a server system, the graphical user interface comprising a first selectable element associated with the first content item and a second selectable element associated with the second content item; 
 determining to synchronize the first client device with the first content item stored on the server system based on a selection of the first selectable element by:
 providing the first content item to the first client device for local storage on the first client device based on the selection of the first selectable element associated with the first content item; and 
 registering the first client device to receive a notice of a change to the first content item based on the selection of the first selectable element associated with the first content item; and 
 
 determining not to provide the second content item to the first client device for local storage on the first client device based on determining that the second selectable element associated with the second content item is unselected. 
 
     
     
       2. The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 receiving, from a second client device, an operation with respect to the first content item; and 
 providing, to the first client device, an update to the first content item locally stored on the first client device, the update based on the operation received from the second client device. 
 
     
     
       3. The computer-implemented method of  claim 2 , wherein:
 receiving, from the second client device, the operation with respect to the first content item comprises receiving, from the second client device, a delete operation to delete the first content item; and 
 providing, to the first client device, the update to the first content item locally stored on the first client device comprises providing, to the first client device, the update to delete the first content item from local storage on the first client device. 
 
     
     
       4. The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , further comprising determining not to register the first client device to receive updates for the second content item based on determining that the second selectable element associated with the second content item is unselected. 
     
     
       5. The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 determining a change to a file organization associated with the first content item; and 
 providing an updated file organization associated with the first content item to the first client device. 
 
     
     
       6. The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein providing the graphical user interface comprising the first content item and the second content item comprises organizing the first content item and the second content item in a file system view that indicates an organization of the first content item and the second content item on the server system. 
     
     
       7. The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein the first content item is one of a folder associated with one or more files or an individual file. 
     
     
       8. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by at least one processor, cause a computing device to:
 provide, via a client application on a first client device, a graphical user interface comprising a first content item and a second content item that are stored on a server system, the graphical user interface comprising a first selectable element associated with the first content item and a second selectable element associated with the second content item; 
 determine to synchronize the first client device with the first content item stored on the server system based on a selection of the first selectable element by:
 downloading the first content item to the first client device for local storage on the first client device based on the selection of the first selectable element associated with the first content item; and 
 registering the first client device to receive a notice of a change to the first content item based on the selection of the first selectable element associated with the first content item; and 
 
 determine not to download the second content item to the first client device for local storage on the first client device based on determining that the second selectable element associated with the second content item is unselected. 
 
     
     
       9. The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 8 , further comprising instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the computing device to:
 receive, from a second client device, an operation with respect to the first content item; and 
 provide, to the first client device, an update to the first content item locally stored on the first client device, the update based on the operation received from the second client device. 
 
     
     
       10. The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 9 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the computing device to:
 receive, from the second client device, the operation with respect to the first content item by receiving, from the second client device, a delete operation to delete the first content item; and 
 provide, to the first client device, the update to the first content item locally stored on the first client device by providing, to the first client device, the update to delete the first content item from local storage on the first client device. 
 
     
     
       11. The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 8 , further comprising instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the computing device to determine not to register the first client device to receive updates for the second content item based on determining that the second selectable element associated with the second content item is unselected. 
     
     
       12. The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 8 , wherein the first content item and the second content item stored on the server system are selectively synchronized with a plurality of client devices so that the first content item and the second content item are synchronized with different groups of client devices. 
     
     
       13. The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 8 , further comprising instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the computing device to:
 determine a change to a file organization associated with the first content item; and 
 provide an updated file organization associated with the first content item to the first client device. 
 
     
     
       14. The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 8 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the computing device to provide the graphical user interface comprising the first content item and the second content item by organizing the first content item and the second content item in a file system view that indicates an organization of the first content item and the second content item on the server system. 
     
     
       15. A system comprising:
 at least one processor; and 
 a non-transitory computer readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the system to:
 provide, to a first client device, a graphical user interface comprising a first content item and a second content item that are stored on a server system, the graphical user interface comprising a first selectable element associated with the first content item and a second selectable element associated with the second content item; 
 determine to synchronize the first client device with the first content item stored on the server system based on a selection of the first selectable element by:
 synchronizing the first content item with the first client device for local storage on the first client device based on a selection of the first selectable element associated with the first content item; and 
 registering the first client device to receive a notice of a change to the first content item based on the selection of the first selectable element associated with the first content item; and 
 
 determining not to synchronize the second content item with the first client device based on determining that the second selectable element associated with the second content item is unselected. 
 
 
     
     
       16. The system of  claim 15 , further comprising instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the system to:
 receive, from a second client device, an operation with respect to the first content item; and 
 provide, to the first client device, an update to the first content item locally stored on the first client device, the update based on the operation received from the second client device. 
 
     
     
       17. The system of  claim 15 , further comprising instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the system to:
 determine not to register the first client device to receive updates for the second content item based on determining that the second selectable element associated with the second content item is unselected. 
 
     
     
       18. The system of  claim 15 , wherein the first content item is one of a folder associated with one or more files or an individual file. 
     
     
       19. The system of  claim 15 , wherein the first content item and the second content item stored on the server system are selectively synchronized with a plurality of client devices so that the first content item and the second content item are synchronized with different groups of client devices. 
     
     
       20. The system of  claim 15 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the system to provide the graphical user interface comprising the first content item and the second content item by organizing the first content item and the second content item in a file system view that indicates an organization of the first content item and the second content item on the server system.